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Indian Pilot Hailed as Hero After Foiling Cockpit Attack on Flydubai Flight
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News18•01-10-2026, 14:49
Indian Pilot Hailed as Hero After Foiling Cockpit Attack on Flydubai Flight
- •Israel's Ambassador to India, Reuven Azar, praised Captain Smit Machchhar for his courage in thwarting a cockpit attack on Flydubai FZ1073.
- •The Dubai-to-Tel Aviv flight, carrying 174 people, was diverted to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, after the incident.
- •Captain Machchhar, despite being seriously injured, managed to open the cockpit door, allowing passengers and crew to subdue the attacker.
- •Machchhar is currently stable and receiving treatment in Saudi Arabia.
- •Authorities are investigating the motive behind the attack, including possible terrorism, with black-box analysis pending.
Key Questions Answered
The Dubai-to-Tel Aviv flight experienced a dramatic cockpit attack involving 174 people on board, forcing the aircraft to divert and safely land in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, after the pilot and passengers successfully intervened and restrained the attacker.
Israel's Ambassador to India, Reuven Azar, praised Captain Smit Machchhar as the hero of the event and stated that courage defeated terrorism thanks to the captain, crew, and passengers.
Captain Smit Machchhar was seriously injured during the cockpit confrontation while managing to open the door for intervention, and he is currently stable and receiving medical treatment in Saudi Arabia.
